Myrtle Beach, South Carolina & Environs

[scifan57]

Murrells Inlet - Part 2 of Second Day

Murrells Inlet is just a short drive south of Myrtle Beach but another world for relaxation and eating! The town considers itself at least the 'Seafood Capital of South Carolina' and along HW 17 Business (see maps - the double arrows show where most of the restaurants are located) - many are on the 'water side' of the road and face the wetlands w/ views of the residencies on the barrier islands on the Atlantic coast - brief description quoted below.

After our trip to Georgetown, we stopped in Murrells Inlet for lunch and ate at the Wicked Tuna - started out w/ a dozen oysters (Blue Points) on the half shell followed by shared seaweed & squid salads, and then some appetizers & sushi, i.e. yellowtail ceviche, eel-avocado & spider rolls (latter fried soft shell crab). We've eaten at many other places there over the decades - a favorite is Drunken Jack's (even have a tee shirt!) - after our visit to Brookgreen Gardens the next day, we stopped again for an early dinner at Wahoos Fish House - click on the links for menus, if you might be in the vicinity.

Virtually all of the restaurants facing the water have outdoor dining areas and/or large window tables w/ spectacular views of the docks, boats, wetlands, and the ocean beyond - the pics below are pretty self explanatory; also, the docks extend for a long distance, known as the 'Marsh Walk'. Dave


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Thanks, I'd never heard of Murrells Inlet before your post. I wonder how many people miss seeing places like this because they don't research the area they're driving through?

 

[giradman]

Thanks, I'd never heard of Murrells Inlet before your post. I wonder how many people miss seeing places like this because they don't research the area they're driving through?

Murrells Inlet is popular and well known, but if one were not aware of the place and traveling on the HW 17 Bypass, then only takes a few minutes to miss the business road - then if it was lunch time and you stopped and ate at some crappy chain, like Hardee's or McDonalds - maybe time for a good boot in the rear!

Our first visit was in the mid-1970s - my mother was visiting us @ Ft. Bragg when I was in the Army for 2 years - we took her to Myrtle Beach & Murrells Inlet - our first restaurant experience there was Nances (pic below and still open - not sure if the food is as good); mother had the fried flounder w/ fries & cole slaw and said the fish was some of the best she have ever eaten, as I recall. Susan had an Oyster Roast, where part of an oyster bed (like the one shown below) is removed w/ many oysters attached (like a big rock!) - the whole thing is steamed and served - she had to then open each oyster to get at the animal - believe she required some finger band aids after that meal but LOVED the experience - interestingly, we've had hundreds of oysters since then but always 'separated' on the half shell - Dave
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[scifan57]

Murrells Inlet is popular and well known, but if one were not aware of the place and traveling on the HW 17 Bypass, then only takes a few minutes to miss the business road - then if it was lunch time and you stopped and ate at some crappy chain, like Hardee's or McDonalds - maybe time for a good boot in the rear!

Our first visit was in the mid-1970s - my mother was visiting us @ Ft. Bragg when I was in the Army for 2 years - we took her to Myrtle Beach & Murrells Inlet - our first restaurant experience there was Nances (pic below and still open - not sure if the food is as good); mother had the fried flounder w/ fries & cole slaw and said the fish was some of the best she have ever eaten, as I recall. Susan had an Oyster Roast, where part of an oyster bed (like the one shown below) is removed w/ many oysters attached (like a big rock!) - the whole thing is steamed and served - she had to then open each oyster to get at the animal - believe she required some finger band aids after that meal but LOVED the experience - interestingly, we've had hundreds of oysters since then but always 'separated' on the half shell - Dave
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Have you ever eaten raw oysters right off the rocks at low tide?

 

[giradman]

Have you ever eaten raw oysters right off the rocks at low tide?

Well, I've seen many oyster beds at low tides, especially along the Atlantic coast, but have never eaten an oyster from one - I'd probably want boots w/ iron soles just to walk on the beds - BUT, could add to my 'bucket list' - Dave

 

[giradman]

Barefoot Landing & the Oak Ridge Boys - Part 3 of Day 2

After our morning in Georgetown and lunch in Murrells Inlet, we had a few hours back at the hotel - I did a long beach walk - then off to Barefoot Landing for an early dinner and then a 7 PM show at the Alabama Theatre - below a brief description of the HUGE complex in North Myrtle Beach (a couple of aerial pics showing the place looking toward the ocean and also toward the intracoastal waterway). We ate at the Flying Fish Restaurant (also a seafood market), which is within walking distance of the theatre. As usual, we started w/ a dozen oysters (two specialty offerings for the night from the Virginia waters); then had the smaller steamed snow crab dinner (Susan got all of the corn & I took the cole slaw - I've had some expensive frontal dental work!) - I MUST say that these were some of the best snow crabs that I have eaten in many years - will certainly try again.

Post-dining entertainment were the Oak Ridge Boys, the country music quartet that have been performing for 40+ years - pic below of the album cover of the CD I own showing them as younger adults, while the other photo portrays their current appearance (present ages are late 60s to mid-70s) - this show was fairly typical of the events at the Alabama Theatre, i.e. mostly country oriented music w/ performers or groups that have been around a while - upcoming acts in October include Kenny Rodgers & Loretta Lynn - BUT, the Oaks were still in great vocal form and Richard Sterban's bass impressive as ever; I've attached a YouTube link for those who may not be that familiar w/ the group. There are other theaters in the area, including the Carolina Opry & the Palace Theatre at the Broadway complex (near WonderWorks). Dave

Barefoot Landing is a large shopping complex located in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It consists of several divided sections of stores and attractions located on filled land over top of Louis Lake, next to the Intracoastal Waterway.

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[scifan57]

There are certainly enough theatres in North Myrtle Beach. Have you been to any of the others?

 

[giradman]

There are certainly enough theatres in North Myrtle Beach. Have you been to any of the others?

Concerning the theatres, we've been mostly to the Alabama one - on our previous visit, we saw Ray Stevens (of 'Ahab the Arab' fame - see video below, for those not sure) - he had just turned 70 y/o and was in great voice. We have been to the Carolina Opry several times, but the shows tend to be revues and somewhat corny but still quite popular; have not been to the other one mentioned (at least yet - a show was playing about the Jersey Boys which we had seen in Charlotte last year). There is a lot more 'smaller venue' entertainment and plenty of live performances @ the hotels/resorts - we had an excellent guitar player/singer in the restaurant/bar of our hotel.

Now, there are plenty of other attractions, e.g. the beaches, arcades, numerous elaborate putt-putt golf courses, and well over 100 regular golf courses, and others - the newest is the SkyWheel, nearly 200 ft high w/ enclosed, air-conditioned gondolas - opened in 2011 and we have not taken a ride - maybe next time - a few additional pics below. Dave

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[giradman]

Country Music Hall of Fame - Induction of the OAK RIDGE BOYS!

This month the Oak Ridge Boys will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, an honor of a lifetime in that genre of music, especially if you're still alive!

Forgot to mention that fact in my post on them - congrats! Dave
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P.S. Brookgreen Gardens up next!

 

[giradman]

Brookgreen Gardens - Introduction

Brookgreen Gardens is located just south of Murrells Inlet (see map below) and offers numerous activities, as shown on the list:

Brown Sculpture Court
Butterfly House
Keepsakes Gift Shop
Lowcountry Center
Lowcountry Trail
Lowcountry Zoo
Rainey Sculpture Pavilion
Sculpture Gardens
Tours (multiple)
Welcome Center

The schematic maps show the layout of the grounds - first stop is the Welcome Center w/ a 15 minute film - there is a tram available and/or plenty of walking opportunities. The locations of the activities are evident from the maps - the Lowcountry Center has a small exhibit area describing the history of the region, including the rice culture which dominated the economy before the Civil War. Tickets for a number of the tours (e.g. boat, property, and archeologic sites) can be purchased there - we did the boat tour (a MUST!).

Quoted below just a few paragraphs from the linked Wiki article - in the late 1920s, the Huntingtons visited the area and purchased four adjacent old rice plantations and in the next decade the Gardens were opened. In addition to the maps and schematic guides of the grounds, the remaining pics include the entrance, several road signs (George Washington slept in MANY places on his tour of the southern states during his early presidency), the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion (which includes two air-conditioned exhibit halls w/ changing shows of sculpture - the current exhibit includes works of many artists w/ most for sale), and several of my own pics of smaller sculptures in the Brown Sculpture Court.

More posts to follow - this is a definite visit if you are in the area and devote at least a half day - we did the boat ride in the morning, had lunch at their full-service restaurant, and then more activities in the afternoon (about a 6-hour visit for us). Dave

Brookgreen Gardens is a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. The 9,100-acre (37 km2) property includes several themed gardens with American figurative sculptures placed in them, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails through several ecosystems in nature reserves on the property. It was founded by Archer Milton Huntington, stepson of railroad magnate Collis Potter Huntington, and his wife Anna Hyatt Huntington to feature sculptures by Anna and her sister Harriet Hyatt along with other American sculptors. Brookgreen Gardens was opened in 1932, and is built on four former rice plantations, taking its name from the former Brookgreen Plantation.

Originally, what is now Brookgreen Gardens was four rice plantations. The plantations from south to north were The Oaks, Brookgreen, Springfield, and Laurel Hill. The current gardens and surrounding facilities lie completely on the former Brookgreen Plantation, which was owned by Joshua John Ward, the largest American slaveholder. [4]

Only a handful of relics survive on the former plantations. The Alston (or Allston) cemetery survives on the grounds of The Oaks plantation. Gov. Joseph Alston and his child are buried in the cemetery. The same grave is a memorial to the governor's wife Theodosia Burr Alston, daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr, who was lost at sea. Her ghost is said to haunt the Grand Strand, looking for her father. The rice mill at Laurel Hill is all that remains of the plantation today.

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[scifan57]

Brookgreen Gardens - Introduction

Brookgreen Gardens is located just south of Murrells Inlet (see map below) and offers numerous activities, as shown on the list:

Brown Sculpture Court
Butterfly House
Keepsakes Gift Shop
Lowcountry Center
Lowcountry Trail
Lowcountry Zoo
Rainey Sculpture Pavilion
Sculpture Gardens
Tours (multiple)
Welcome Center

The schematic maps show the layout of the grounds - first stop is the Welcome Center w/ a 15 minute film - there is a tram available and/or plenty of walking opportunities. The locations of the activities are evident from the maps - the Lowcountry Center has a small exhibit area describing the history of the region, including the rice culture which dominated the economy before the Civil War. Tickets for a number of the tours (e.g. boat, property, and archeologic sites) can be purchased there - we did the boat tour (a MUST!).

Quoted below just a few paragraphs from the linked Wiki article - in the late 1920s, the Huntingtons visited the area and purchased four adjacent old rice plantations and in the next decade the Gardens were opened. In addition to the maps and schematic guides of the grounds, the remaining pics include the entrance, several road signs (George Washington slept in MANY places on his tour of the southern states during his early presidency), the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion (which includes two air-conditioned exhibit halls w/ changing shows of sculpture - the current exhibit includes works of many artists w/ most for sale), and several of my own pics of smaller sculptures in the Brown Sculpture Court.

More posts to follow - this is a definite visit if you are in the area and devote at least a half day - we did the boat ride in the morning, had lunch at their full-service restaurant, and then more activities in the afternoon (about a 6-hour visit for us). Dave


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It sounds like a wonderful place to visit. Are any of the original plantation buildings still there?

 

[giradman]

It sounds like a wonderful place to visit. Are any of the original plantation buildings still there?

Hi SciFan.. - Really a MUST to better understand the history of the area and to 'escape' the hustle & bustle of Myrtle Beach. As to your question, virtually nothing remains of the original buildings - probably some foundations and as I mentioned, there is an archeologic tour that likely explores these 'remains,' which we have not taken - see quote below from my previous Wiki link - the Aaron Burr story is often repeated (was on our boat tour).

Now, I was looking at this site on South Carolina Plantations - check the link - the list in Georgetown County alone is really amazingly long! Of course, virtually all of these plantations are gone - I cannot imagine what life might have been like back them - probably plenty of visiting & parties - like the Long Island Hamptons of those times. If you click on the 'SC Plantations Tours' links, about two dozen are opened for tours; we've been to maybe a half dozen of these places, mostly around Charleston. An interesting question is why are there not many more of these plantations still around? Well, one reason of course is the Civil War - rice cultivation is a labor intensive crop and was done virtually all by slaves - its elimination contributed to the disappearance of the culture and probably desertion of the plantation homes. Dave

P.S. Well, maybe time for a 'bonus' post on the Gullah culture of the Sea Islands, which came up in my other travelogue on Hilton Head Island earlier this year?

Only a handful of relics survive on the former plantations. The Alston (or Allston) cemetery survives on the grounds of The Oaks plantation. Gov. Joseph Alston and his child are buried in the cemetery. The same grave is a memorial to the governor's wife Theodosia Burr Alston, daughter of Vice PresidentAaron Burr, who was lost at sea. Her ghost is said to haunt the Grand Strand, looking for her father. The rice mill at Laurel Hill is all that remains of the plantation today. During the American Civil War, Confederates built an earthen structure on the grounds to block Union ships from coming into the tidal rivers.

 

[giradman]

Brookgreen Gardens - Boat Tour & Lowcountry Trail

The Lowcountry Center is a good place to start - tickets can be purchased for a number of tours, including the excellent 45-minute guided pontoon boat ride which mainly describes the early history of the rice plantations - below is the introductory paragraph of this agricultural effort - brutal (Source) - also an aerial view of the Center w/ some of my own labelling, which should be self-explanatory - the connected arrows roughly follows the Lowcountry Trail (see second quote for a description) - this is a beautiful walk w/ reconstructed exhibits, explanatory plaques along w/ audio discussions - pics show an aerial pic (Zoo comes up next!) of the center & the boat dock - adjacent rice fields are evident and large (these were originally cypress & gum tree swamps which were laboriously cleared by slaves for the purpose of cultivating rice); subsequent images show stops along the trail w/ a view of the current appearance of the rice fields (which is quite different from when each was being used for its intended purpose). Dave

P.S. Egret near the boat dock - my pic plus all images that follow.

The intricate steps involved in planting, cultivating, harvesting, and preparing rice required an immense labor force. Planters stated that African slaves were particularly suited to provide that labor force for two reasons: 1) rice was grown in some areas of Africa and there was evidence that some slaves were familiar with the methods of cultivation practiced there, and 2) it was thought that the slaves, by virtue of their racial characteristics, were better able than white laborers to withstand the extreme heat and humidity of the tidal swamps and therefore would be more productive workers. Rice cultivation resulted in a dramatic increase in the numbers of slaves owned by South Carolinians before the American Revolution. In 1680, four-fifths of South Carolina's population was white. However, black slaves outnumbered white residents two to one in 1720, and by 1740, slaves constituted nearly 90% of the population. Much of the growing slave population came from the West Coast of Africa, a region that had gained notoriety by exporting its large rice surpluses.

Winner of the South Carolina Heritage Tourism Award, the Lowcountry Trail consists of a beautiful boardwalk that crosses the hillside overlooking Mainfield, a restored rice field of the former Brookgreen Plantation. For enslaved Africans on Brookgreen Plantation, this hill was a bridge between the world of daily work and the familiarity of life in the slave village beyond the crest of the hill. The rhythms of life - planting, growing, harvesting, threshing - changed seasonally for everyone on the rice plantation. Archaeological projects have revealed the remains of four structures on the hillside: the site of the overseer's residence at the apex of the hill, and its kitchen, smokehouse and dependency closer to the edge of the rice field. Along the trail, interpretive panels that describe life on a rice plantation and four stainless steel figures have been placed to represent the Plantation Owner, the Overseer, and an Enslaved African Male and an Enslaved African Female. These figures, created in stainless steel by Babette Bloch, serve as visually compelling landmarks to draw visitors along the trail and to interpret a revealing story about each one's role in the economic and social system of a Lowcountry plantation.

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[giradman]

Brookgreen Gardens - Zoo, Aviary, Raptors, & Butterfly House

After walking through the Lowcountry Trail, a short stroll enters the zoo area w/ all of the attractions listed in the title of this post. First, domesticated animals (horses, sheep, bulls, etc.) are there - then the boardwalk trail leads to the enclosed Aviary (see first pic of schematic map) - the water fowl are in the water, on the rails, and up in the trees (I wore a hat - others wandering through were hit on the head - ). All of the pics are mine (except for the Great White Egret from the web, although we did see several) - I've labelled the more abundant birds.

From the aviary, the trail enters the River Otter exhibit (one shown from the web along w/ a cute sculpture) - this exhibit has a glass enclosure w/ the otters performing, but also connected to a river w/ other otters; along the way an Alligator was sunning while several others were in the waters. The trail then passes other enclosures, including red foxes (beautiful animals) and enters the raptor bird cages, including the Bald Eagle & Great Horned Owl - all of these birds are 'rehabilitated', i.e. injured ones that were cared for but could not be released back into the wild, e.g. the eagle shown is missing a wing (gunshot wound); and yet another sculpture of an eagle. The trail continues on to other animal areas - finally, nearby is the Butterfly House (last two pics below - outside & inside) - we've been to many of these butterfly enclosures and this is one of the smaller ones, but was filled w/ a wide variety of flyers!

Up next, the actual theme gardens and the many sculptures on the grounds - Dave
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[scifan57]

Brookgreen Gardens - Zoo, Aviary, Raptors, & Butterfly House

After walking through the Lowcountry Trail, a short stroll enters the zoo area w/ all of the attractions listed in the title of this post. First, domesticated animals (horses, sheep, bulls, etc.) are there - then the boardwalk trail leads to the enclosed Aviary (see first pic of schematic map) - the water fowl are in the water, on the rails, and up in the trees (I wore a hat - others wandering through were hit on the head - ). All of the pics are mine (except for the Great White Egret from the web, although we did see several) - I've labelled the more abundant birds.

From the aviary, the trail enters the River Otter exhibit (one shown from the web along w/ a cute sculpture) - this exhibit has a glass enclosure w/ the otters performing, but also connected to a river w/ other otters; along the way an Alligator was sunning while several others were in the waters. The trail then passes other enclosures, including red foxes (beautiful animals) and enters the raptor bird cages, including the Bald Eagle & Great Horned Owl - all of these birds are 'rehabilitated', i.e. injured ones that were cared for but could not be released back into the wild, e.g. the eagle shown is missing a wing (gunshot wound); and yet another sculpture of an eagle. The trail continues on to other animal areas - finally, nearby is the Butterfly House (last two pics below - outside & inside) - we've been to many of these butterfly enclosures and this is one of the smaller ones, but was filled w/ a wide variety of flyers!

Up next, the actual theme gardens and the many sculptures on the grounds - Dave
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They've sure managed to pack in a lot of interesting attractions. The only one of the many animals pictured that I've never seen in the wild is the alligator. There are lots of bald eagles in British Columbia, where I've seen them perching on cliffs and trees and fishing in the ocean. Otters are fairly common there as well.

 

[giradman]

They've sure managed to pack in a lot of interesting attractions. The only one of the many animals pictured that I've never seen in the wild is the alligator. There are lots of bald eagles in British Columbia, where I've seen them perching on cliffs and trees and fishing in the ocean. Otters are fairly common there as well.

Yep, there is a LOT to see & do, especially if you want to go on all of the tours - actually, the entrance fee is good for 7 days, so one can return repeatedly, if desired.

Well, you've seen me post a lot of alligators 'in the wild' on a number of my travelogues, whether from the Carolinas into Florida - an area that I've not discussed but have been to many times is New Orleans - invariably we either rent a car for a day or take a tour into the bayou country and then do boat tours of the waterways - PLENTY of alligators. Also, the animal is no longer endangered, so there are hunting seasons and the tail meat is great (YES, like chicken!) - the Cajun recipes w/ some spice & heat seem to be the best, such as an alligator étouffée, although fried alligator bits are popular.

Bald Eagles have made an amazing comeback on the east coast - just a quote below about North the recovery in North Carolina - so we do see the bird here along w/ many others, such as hawks & ospreys near the waters. Dave

Bald eagles have made a remarkable recovery, both in North Carolina and nationwide. Not a single pair of bald eagles were nesting in North Carolina in 1983; now there are at least 192 bald eagle nesting territories statewide, including 15 known nests around Jordan Lake.